GLAND, SWITZERLAND -- (Marketwire) -- 02/19/13 --

What:

WWF and TRAFFIC to hold two media briefings to discuss the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) negotiation March 3-14 in Bangkok, Thailand. The 177 governments in the treaty will be negotiating several critical proposals that could help stem the global poaching crisis that is leading to the slaughter of tens of thousands of elephants, rhinos, and tigers.

WWF and TRAFFIC will be pushing for bold action against countries complicit in illegal wildlife trade. WWF and TRAFFIC also are asking the host country Thailand to take swift action to close its illegal, unregulated ivory market - the largest in the world.

A Q&A session with experts will follow a short briefing on the negotiations and positions by WWF and TRAFFIC.

When:

--  Feb. 21: 0800 GMT (London), 0900 CET (Paris/Geneva), 1500
    (Bangkok/Jakarta), 1600 (Beijing/HK/Singapore/KL)  

Call-in: +41 58 262 07 22 or a local access number PIN: 479871

--  Feb. 21: 10 am EST (Washington DC) 1500 GMT (London) 1600 CET
    (Paris/Geneva) 

Call-in: +1 866-939-3921 or +1 678-302-3550 (no pin)

NOTE: If outside the United States, you can dial-in using local access numbers and pin 6290681 followed by the #sign.

Speakers:

0800 GMT call:                                                              
Jim Leape, WWF Director General                                             
Colman O Criodain, WWF Wildlife Trade Policy Analyst                        
Nick Cox, WWF-Greater Mekong Species Programme Leader                       
TBD, TRAFFIC International                                                  
                                                                            
10 am EST call:                                                             
Colman O Criodain, WWF Wildlife Trade Policy Analyst                        
Leigh Henry, WWF Senior Policy Advisor, Species Conservation & Advocacy     
Crawford Allan, Director, TRAFFIC North America                             

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN and WWF.

To learn more about WWF and TRAFFIC's campaign visit panda.org/killthetrade and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media.